Our team

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The Trust is led by a senior leadership team and wider management team.

Joanna Elson OBE CDir

Chief executive

Joanna is Chief Executive of the Money Advice Trust, whose vision is to help people across the UK to tackle their debts and manage their money with confidence. Last year the Trust helped over 220,000 people to manage their debts via National Debtline and Business Debtline, supported 4,400 money advisers through its Wiseradviser service and delivered vulnerability training to 44 organisations.

Previously, Joanna was Executive Director at the British Bankers’ Association running their policy department for personal and small business customers. Before that she was a House of Commons researcher and prior to that a primary school teacher.

In 2010, Joanna was awarded an OBE for services to people in debt.

Joanna is a director of the financial services trade association UK Finance, representing vulnerable consumers, Chair of the Advisory Panel at Birmingham University’s Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management, a selection panel member for the Open Banking for Good challenge (part of the Cabinet Office’s Inclusive Economy Partnership), a Commissioner for Energy UK’s Vulnerability Commission, and a member of the ABCUL/Lloyds Banking Group Grants Committee, the government’s Financial Inclusion Policy Forum and HM Treasury’s Home Finance Forum.

She is also Vice Chair of the Friends Provident Foundation and a Chartered Director.

She lives in North London with her husband, Simon Horne, who is a Headteacher, and their three daughters. In her spare time she reads, runs, cycles and climbs Munros (Scottish mountains over 1000m).

Deputy chief executive, Corporate Services

Ian Witcombe is Deputy Chief Executive of the Money Advice Trust and has been with the charity since August 2002. Ian previously spent over 20 years in the banking sector.

He shares responsibility for the overall leadership and management of the Trust with the Chief Executive and participates in Board meetings. Ian has responsibility for the following functions: finance, HR, IT, compliance and risk and facilities.

Ian is the Company Secretary and is involved in legal matters that affect the organisation, including FCA authorisation, data protection and liaison with the Charity Commission and Companies House.

He is keen to work in partnership with organisations that have an influence on individuals’ finances (in particular debt) to help all involved gain a better understanding of the debt advice sector and how working together will improve the client’s situation.

David Cheadle MBA

Deputy chief executive, Strategy and Services

David is responsible for the development and implementation of the Trust's Strategy and has worked for the organisation for 14 years. He is responsible for the delivery of client services via National Debtline and Business Debtline along with the Trust's free debt training services through Wiseradviser. David has led on the transformation of services to ensure a more optimal client experience and works in collaboration with other major debt advice organisations to improve the client journey across the sector. David also oversees the Trust’s training and consultancy services helping organisations to better understand and support their customers in vulnerable circumstances.

Jane Tully

Director of external affairs and partnerships

Jane oversees our external affairs and partnerships work, leading the public affairs, insight and business development teams. She is responsible for the Trust’s work to improve public policy and industry practice so that people can tackle their debts and manage their money with confidence, the promotion of the Trust’s own services and for championing the provision of free debt advice more widely. She also manages the Trust’s business development team, building partnerships with creditors and other funders, and the Innovation Grants programme, which funds innovative debt advice projects.

Previously, Jane led the policy and public affairs team at Charity Finance Group covering impact reporting, regulation and public service reform, and worked for the Charity Commission, managing the regulator’s support for charities during the economic downturn and their work on social investment. She has also worked in public affairs for NSPCC, campaigning on child protection and domestic abuse issues, and has experience in policy roles with both local government and international institutions. In addition to working professionally in the charity sector, she volunteers for a number of local community groups.